Bradley was on the Wolfeboro Budget Committee from 1989 to 1992. He was also on the Wolfeboro Planning Board from 1986 to 1990. He then served in the New Hampshire State House of Representatives from 1990 to 2002. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 2004 to 2006 as well. He was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006 and 2008 but wasn't elected. He then won a special election to the New Hampshire State Senate on April 21, 2009. He has served on the senate since, representing the 3rd district.

Bradley has been the owner of Evergrain Natural Foods since 1982.

Bradley earned his BA from Tufts University in 1974.

Policy positions

A 2011 proposal to cut benefits and require longer hours for new state employees earned Bradley significant blowback from public employee unions. Bradley's bill called for public employees to contribute an extra 2 percent of their wages to the state's retirement system, a cut to retirement benefits for new hires, and mandated extra hours for all employees. Though the plan, which passed the GOP-controlled legislature, was subsequently vetoed by DemocraticJohn Lynch, Republican lawmakers shoehorned it into law by attaching it to the state budget bill.

During a speech pitching his plan, Bradley said that his plan was "tough medicine" that would save the state, which faced a $4.7 billion budget deficit, about $700 million over the coming decades.[1][2]